Optical transmission line monitoring device, optical transmission line monitoring method, and computer program

ABSTRACT

In an optical transmission line monitoring device, an input unit is manipulated by a user, and inputs selection command data indicating that alarm data displayed on a screen is selected an alarm data that will not be output. A exclusion data processing unit adds, to detection data stored in a detection data storage unit corresponding to the alarm data of the input selection command data, output removal data indicating that it is not a target for output. An alarm output unit displays the detection data that the output removal data was added to such that alarm data displayed on a screen that corresponds to the detection data can be distinguished from other alarm data.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an optical transmission line monitoringdevice used in a monitoring device on an optical transmission line, anoptical transmission line monitoring method, and a computes program.

Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-195794,filed Jul. 18, 2006, the content of which is incorporated herein byreference.

2. Description of Related Art

Conventionally, a communication device installed at a communicationstation and a plurality of terminating devices installed in users' homesare connected by optical fiber cables (hereinafter ‘optical fibers’) ina star-type interconnection or the like to construct an opticaltransmission line.

To monitor such an optical transmission line after it is constructed,for example, an optical pulse is introduced along the longitudinaldirection of the optical fiber of the transmission line using opticaltime domain reflectometers (OTDRs), and a measurement is token ofreturning light based on reflection from devices and Rayleigh scatteringgenerated by the incidence. The measurement is contrasted with deviceinformation created at the time of design based on construction designplans, and stored as initial measurement data. Device data includes datarelating to terminating devices constituting a device on the opticaltransmission line, optical fiber fusion points, types of connectiondevices such as connectors for connecting the optical fibers, andinformation relating to positions and names of these pieces of thedevice.

By storing the device data and the initial measurement data as describedabove, measurement data of the next monitoring process can be contrastedwith the initial measurement data, and, when a failure is detected, thelocation and status of the failure can be identified by referring todevice data arranged in correlation with the initial measurement data(e.g. see Japanese Patent No. 2674659).

However, to pre-register device data and initial measurement data isproblematic in that taking one measurement using OTDR or the like andcorrelating this measurement with the device data requires a long time,and is burdensome in regard to cost.

Furthermore, on an optical transmission line whose line status isfrequently changed, the device data and the initial measurement datamust be changed every time, resulting in a problem that a nextmonitoring process cannot be performed until these changes arecompleted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been realized to solve the problems mentionedabove, and aims to provide an optical transmission line monitoringdevice that can monitor an optical transmission line withoutpre-registration of device data and initial measurement data, an opticaltransmission line monitoring method, and a computer program.

To solve the above problems, the invention provides an opticaltransmission line monitoring device comprising a device that isconnected to a measuring device that introduces an optical pulse along alongitudinal direction of an optical fiber constituting an opticaltransmission line, and measures the optical intensity of returning lightobtained by the incidence and a distance based on a time when thereturning light is received, the device calculating a management amountby performing an analysis of the optical intensity obtained from themeasuring device; a reference data storage device that stores referencemanagement amounts beforehand; a detecting device that detects adistance when the calculated management amount is of poorer quality thanthe reference management amount stored in the reference data storagedevice, creates detection data containing the management amount at thetime of detection, and stores the created detection data in a detectiondata storage device; and an alarm outputting device that creates alarmdata based on the detection data created by the detecting device, anddisplays the created alarm data on a screen; an inputting device that,when manipulated by a user, inputs selection command data that indicatesthat the alarm data displayed on the screen is selected as alarm datathat will not be output; and a removal data adding device that adds, tothe detection data stored in the detection data storage devicecorresponding to the alarm data of the selection command data input bythe inputting device, output removal data indicating that it is not atarget for outputting by the alarm outputting device. The alarmoutputting device displays alarm data displayed on the screen,corresponding to the detection data that the removal data adding deviceadds the output removal data to, such that it can be distinguished fromother alarm data.

In the above invention, the reference data storage device stores atermination reference management amount that becomes a condition fordetecting a termination of the optical transmission line; the detectingdevice detects the distance when the management amount is of poorerquality than the termination reference management amount stored in thereference data storage device, creates termination detection datacontaining the detected distance and the management amount, and storesthe created termination detection data in the detection data storagedevice; and the alarm outputting device creates, based on thetermination detection data created by the detecting device, alarm datacontaining data indicating that it is a candidate for termination, anddisplays the created alarm data on the screen.

In the above invention, the inputting device, manipulated by the user,inputs selection command data indicating that the alarm data containingdata indicating that it is a candidate for termination displayed on thescreen is selected as a termination; the removal data adding device addsoutput removal data to the detection data stored in the detection datastorage device corresponding to the alarm data of the selection commanddata indicating that it is selected as a termination, input by theinputting device; and, with respect to detection data of the terminationthat the output removal data was added to by the removal data addingdevice, when alarm data corresponding to that detection data is beingdisplayed on the screen, the alarm outputting device deletes the displayof the alarm data.

The above invention further comprises a notifying device that notifies awarning. The alarm outputting device displays the alarm data on thescreen, and notifies the alarm to the detecting device; and, withrespect to the detection data that the output removal data was added toby the removal data adding device, displays alarm data being displayedon the screen corresponding to that detection data such that it can bedistinguished from other alarm data, and makes the notifying device stopnotification of the alarm; or, with respect to the detection data of thetermination that the output removal data was added to by the removaldata adding device, when alarm data corresponding to that detection datais being displayed on the screen, deletes display of the alarm data, andmakes the notifying device stop notification of the alarm.

In the above invention, the reference data storage device stores aredetection reference management amount that becomes a condition whenredisplaying the alarm data; the detecting device, when the detectiondata corresponding to the detected distance exists in the detection datastorage device and the output removal data has been added to thedetection data, calculates a difference between a management amountcorresponding to the detected distance and the management amountcontained in the detection data, and, when the calculated difference isof poorer quality than the redetection reference management amount,stores the detected management amount in the detection data, and deletesthe output removal data; and the alarm outputting device creates alarmdata corresponding to the detection data from which the detecting devicedeleted the output removal data, and displays the created alarm data onthe screen.

In the above invention, the management amount is a loss amount; thereference data storage device stores a reference loss amount as thereference management amount; and the detecting device detects thedistance when the loss amount exceeds the reference loss amount storedin the reference data storage device, creates detection data containingthe loss amount and the distance at the time of detection, and storesthe created detection data in the detection data storage device.

In the above invention, the management amount is a reflectionattenuation amount; the reference data storage device stores a referencereflection attenuation amount as the reference management amount; andthe detecting device detects the distance when the reflectionattenuation amount is below the reference reflection attenuation amountstored in the reference data storage device, creates detection datacontaining the reflection attenuation amount and the distance at thetime of detection, and stores the created detection data in thedetection data storage device.

In the above invention, the management amount is a loss amount or areflection attenuation amount; the reference data storage device storesa termination reference loss amount or a termination referencereflection attenuation amount as the termination reference managementamount; and the detecting device detects the distance when the lossamount exceeds the termination reference loss amount stored in thereference data storage device, and when the reflection attenuationamount is below the termination reference reflection attenuation amountstored in the reference data storage device, creates terminationdetection data containing the detected distance and the loss amount, orthe reflection attenuation amount, and stores the created detection datain the detection data storage device.

The above invention includes a first connecting device connected to adevice data managing device that stores device data of the opticaltransmission line in an internal storage region, and a device datadisplay device that receives the device data from the device datamanaging device via the first connecting device, and, based on thedetection data stored in the detection data storage unit and thereceived device data, extracts, from the device data, device datacorresponding to the detection data, and displays it on a screen.

The above invention includes a second connecting device connected to amap data managing device that receives input of positional data, andoutputs map data displaying superimposed data indicating a locationcorresponding to the positional data; a positional data storage devicethat stores positional data corresponding to the distance of eachdetection data on the optical transmission line; and a positional datadisplay device that reads positional data corresponding to a distancecontained in the alarm data from the positional data storage device,transmits the read positional data via the second connecting device tothe map data managing device, receives map data displaying superimposeddata indicating a location corresponding to the positional data from themap data managing device, and displays the received map data on ascreen.

Another aspect of the invention provides an optical transmission linemonitoring method in an optical transmission line monitoring devicecomprising a device that is connected to a measuring device thatintroduces an optical pulse along a longitudinal direction of an opticalfiber constituting an optical transmission line, and measures theoptical intensity of returning light obtained by the incidence and adistance based on a time when the returning light is received, thedevice calculating a management amount by performing an analysis of theoptical intensity obtained from the measuring device; a reference datastorage device that stores reference management amounts beforehand; adetecting device that detects a distance when the calculated managementamount is of poorer quality than the reference management amount storedin the reference data storage device, creates detection data containingthe management amount at the time of detection, and stores the createddetection data in a detection data storage device; and an alarmoutputting device that creates alarm data based on the detection datacreated by the detecting device, and displays the created alarm data ona screen. The method includes a step of receiving a manipulation by auser, and inputting selection command data that indicates that the alarmdata displayed on the screen is selected as alarm data that will not beoutput, a step of adding, to the detection data stored in the detectiondata storage device corresponding to the alarm data of the inputselection command data, output removal data indicating that it is not atarget for outputting by the alarm outputting device, and a step ofmaking the alarm outputting device display alarm data displayed on thescreen, corresponding to the detection data that the output removal datais added to, such that it can be distinguished from other alarm data.

Another aspect of the invention provides a computer program for acomputer installed in an optical transmission line monitoring devicecomprising a device that is connected to a measuring device thatintroduces an optical pulse along a longitudinal direction of an opticalfiber constituting an optical transmission line, and measures theoptical intensity of returning light obtained by the incidence and adistance based on a time when the returning light is received, thedevice calculating a management amount by performing an analysis of theoptical intensity obtained from the measuring device; a reference datastorage device that stores reference management amounts beforehand; adetecting device that detects a distance when the calculated managementamount is of poorer quality than the reference management amount storedin the reference data storage device, creates detection data containingthe management amount at the time of detection, and stores the createddetection data in a detection data storage device; and an alarmoutputting device that creates alarm data based on the detection datacreated by the detecting device, and displays the created alarm data ona screen. The computer program makes the computer execute a step ofreceiving a manipulation by a user, and inputting selection command datathat indicates that the alarm data displayed on the screen is selectedas alarm data that will not be output; a step of adding, to thedetection data stored in the detection data storage device correspondingto the alarm data of the input selection command data, output removaldata indicating that it is not a target for outputting by the alarmoutputting device; and a step of making the alarm outputting devicedisplay alarm data displayed on the screen, corresponding to thedetection data that the output removal data is added to, such that itcan be distinguished from other alarm data.

Furthermore, to solve the above problems, the invention provides anoptical transmission line monitoring device that is connected to ameasuring device that introduces an optical pulse along a longitudinaldirection of an optical fiber constituting a PON system opticaltransmission line, and measures the optical intensity of returning lightobtained by the incidence and a distance based on a time when thereturning light is received, the device comprising a waveform displaydevice that receives data correlating the optical intensity of thereturning light and the distance from the measuring device, and displaysa waveform based on the received optical intensity and the distance; apeak detecting device that detects a peak in the waveform displayed bythe waveform display device, creates detection data based on datarelating to the detected waveform peak, and stores the created detectiondata in a detection data storage device; an alarm outputting device thatcreates display data based on the detection data stored in the detectiondata storage device, and outputs the created display data as an alarm toa screen; an inputting device that, when manipulated by a user, inputsselection command data that indicates that the display data displayed onthe screen is selected as display data that will not be output as analarm; and a removal data adding device that adds, to the detection dataidentified by the selection command data input by the inputting device,output removal data indicating that it is detection data that is not atarget for outputting as an alarm. The alarm outputting device does notdisplay the display data, corresponding to the detection data that theremoval data adding device adds the output removal data to, as an alarm.

The invention also includes coordinate data an inputting device that,manipulated by a user, inputs coordinate data specifying a region in ascreen displayed by the waveform display device; the peak detectingdevice includes a frame display device that displays on the screen aframe in a region based on the coordinate data input by the coordinatedata inputting device, and a detection processing device that, in thewaveform contained in the frame displayed by the frame display device,detects a peak of the waveform, creates detection data based on datarelating to the detected peak of the waveform, and stores the createddetection data in a detection data storage device.

In the above invention, the detection data created by the peak detectingdevice includes a reflection attenuation amount at the peak; when thepeak detecting device newly creates detection data corresponding to thepeak, if the peak detecting device detects, using as a reference areflection attenuation amount of the detection data of the peak that theoutput removal data stored in the detection data storage device wasadded to, that the reflection attenuation amount contained in the newlycreated detection data has increased, it deletes the output removal dataof the detection data whose reflection attenuation amount has increased;and the alarm outputting device outputs display data, corresponding tothe detection data from which the output removal data was deleted by thepeak detecting device, as an alarm.

In the above invention, the alarm outputting device, based on detectiondata created by the peak detecting device, creates display datacontaining data indicating a number of peaks, outputs the createddisplay data to a screen, and, when the peak detecting device createsnew detection data, and, if the number of peaks based on the newlydetected detection data decreases, using as a reference the dataindicating the number of the peaks contained in the display data, thealarm outputting device creates new display data containing the numberof peaks, and outputs the created display data to the screen.

In the above invention, when the peak detecting device newly createsdetection data, if the newly created detection data and detection datastored in the detection data storage device do not correspond at adistance, the alarm outputting device outputs the newly createddetection data that does not correspond to the detection data stored inthe detection data storage device, together with data indicating that itis detection data of the newly added device.

The above invention includes a first connecting device connected to adevice data managing device that stores device data of the PONtransmission line in an internal storage region; and a device datadisplay device that receives the device data from the device datamanaging device via the first connecting device, and, based on thedetection data stored in the detection data storage unit and thereceived device data, extracts, from the device data, device datacorresponding to the detection data, and displays it on a screen.

In another aspect, the invention provides an optical transmission linemonitoring method in an optical transmission line monitoring device thatis connected to a measuring device that introduces an optical pulsealong a longitudinal direction of an optical fiber constituting a PONsystem optical transmission line, and measures the optical intensity ofreturning light obtained by the incidence and a distance based on a timewhen the returning light is received. The method includes a step ofreceiving data correlating the optical intensity of the returning lightand the distance from the measuring device; a step of displaying awaveform based on the received optical intensity and the distance; astep of detecting a peak in the displayed waveform; a step of creatingdetection data based on data relating to the detected waveform peak; astep of storing the created detection data in a detection data storagedevice; a step of creating display data based on the detection datastored in the detection data storage device; a step of outputting thecreated display data as an alarm to a screen; a step of receiving amanipulation by a user, and inputting selection command data thatindicates that the display data displayed on the screen is selected asdisplay data that will not be output as an alarm; a step of adding, tothe detection data identified by the input selection command data,output removal data indicating that it is detection data that is not atarget for outputting as an alarm, and storing it in the detection datastorage device; and a step of not displaying display data, correspondingto the detection data that the output removal data is added to, as analarm.

Another aspect of the invention provides a computer program for acomputer of an optical transmission line monitoring device that isconnected to a measuring device that introduces an optical pulse along alongitudinal direction of an optical fiber constituting a PON systemoptical transmission line, and measures the optical intensity ofreturning light obtained by the incidence and a distance based on a timewhen the returning light is received. The computer program makes thecomputer execute a step of receiving data correlating the opticalintensity of the returning light and the distance from the measuringdevice; a step of displaying a waveform based on the received opticalintensity and the distance; a step of detecting a peak in the displayedwaveform; a step of creating detection data based on data relating tothe detected waveform peak; a step of storing the created detection datain a detection data storage device; a step of creating display databased on the detection data stored in the detection data storage device;a step of outputting the created display data as an alarm to a screen; astep of receiving a manipulation by a user, and inputting selectioncommand data that indicates that the display data displayed on thescreen is selected as display data that will not be output as an alarm;a step of adding, to the detection data identified by the inputselection command data, output removal data indicating that it isdetection data that is not a target for outputting as an alarm, andstoring it in the detection data storage device; and a step of notdisplaying display data, corresponding to the detection data that theoutput removal data is added to, as an alarm.

According to the invention, locations of irregularities in an opticaltransmission line can be detected based on a loss amount or a reflectionattenuation amount obtained by analysis based on an optical pulseincident from a measuring device, and a preset reference value.Therefore, the optical transmission line can be monitored withoutpre-registering device data and initial measurement data.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the relationship between an internalconfiguration of an optical transmission line monitoring device 1according to a first embodiment, and devices connected to the monitoringdevice;

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a data configuration of a reference data storageunit in the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a diagram of a data configuration of a detection data storageunit in the first embodiment;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are explanatory diagrams of an alarm determinationprocess in the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a diagram of an alarm confirmation screen (part 1) in thefirst embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a diagram of the flow of processes of termination confirmationand error confirmation performed by a user in the first embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a diagram of an alarm confirmation screen (part 2) in thefirst embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a diagram of an alarm confirmation screen (part 3) in thefirst embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a diagram of an alarm confirmation screen (part 4) in thefirst embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a diagram of an alarm confirmation screen (part 5) in thefirst embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a diagram of an alarm confirmation screen (part 6) in thefirst embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a diagram of an alarm confirmation screen (part 7) in thefirst embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of an operation of a detector in the firstembodiment;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of an operation of an device data display unit inthe first embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a diagram of a detailed result details display screen (part1) in the first embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a diagram of a detailed result details display screen (part2) in the first embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a diagram of a list display screen of device data in thefirst embodiment;

FIG. 18 is a flowchart of an operation of a positional data display unitin the first embodiment;

FIG. 19 is a block diagram of the relationship between an internalconfiguration of an optical transmission line monitoring deviceaccording to a second embodiment, and devices connected to themonitoring device;

FIG. 20 is a flowchart of processes of PON confirmation and alarmconfirmation in the second embodiment;

FIG. 21 is a diagram of a measurement data display screen in the secondembodiment;

FIG. 22 is a diagram of a PON confirmation screen (part 1) during PONconfirmation process in the second embodiment;

FIG. 23 is a diagram of a PON confirmation screen (part 2) during PONconfirmation process in the second embodiment;

FIG. 24 is a diagram of a PON confirmation screen (part 3) during PONconfirmation process in the second embodiment;

FIG. 25 is a diagram of a PON confirmation screen (part 1) during alarmconfirmation in the second embodiment;

FIG. 26 is a diagram of a PON confirmation screen (part 2) during alarmconfirmation in the second embodiment;

FIG. 27 is a diagram of a PON confirmation screen (part 1) during anabnormality detection process in the second embodiment;

FIG. 28 is a diagram of a PON confirmation screen (part 2) during anabnormality detection process in the second embodiment;

FIG. 29 is a diagram of a PON confirmation screen when adding a devicein the second embodiment;

FIG. 30 is a diagram of a PON confirmation screen (part 1) during PONconfirmation process in a third embodiment;

FIG. 31 is a diagram of a PON confirmation screen (part 2) during PONconfirmation process in the third embodiment;

FIG. 32 is a diagram of a PON confirmation screen (part 3) during PONconfirmation process in the third embodiment; and

FIG. 33 is a diagram of a PON confirmation screen during an abnormalitydetection process in the third embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention will be explained with reference tothe drawings.

First Embodiment

FIG. 1 is a general block diagram of the internal configuration of anoptical transmission line monitoring device 1 according to a firstembodiment, and an optical transmission line that is a target ofmonitoring by the optical transmission line monitoring device 1, ameasuring device 40 that measures the optical intensity of the opticaltransmission line, a device data managing device 80 that stores devicedata relating to a device constituting the optical transmission line,and a map data managing device 90 that stores map data.

In FIG. 1, the optical transmission line is constructed as a star-typeinterconnection, and includes N optical fibers 71-1 to 71-N (describedcollectively as ‘optical fibers 71’). Although there are un-terminatedoptical fibers as shown in FIG. 1 during construction and the like, whena communication service is actually provided, the optical fibers 71 areconnected to terminating devices and the like installed in users' homes.Each of the optical fibers 71-1 to 71-N includes several optical fiberswhich are connected by connectors and the like, or spliced, until itreaches the termination.

Based on command data input from the optical transmission linemonitoring device 1, an optical switch 60 connects any one of the Noptical fibers 71 to an optical fiber 70 connected to the measuringdevice 40.

By utilizing, for example, an OTDR, the measuring device 40 introducesan optical pulse for testing to the optical fiber 70, and receivesreturning light that is returned by reflection from the opticaltransmission line. Returning light is light that is reflected fromconnector connection points, splicing points, and the like, and denotesrearward scattered light that is generated by Rayleigh scattering andthe like specific to the optical fibers 71. The measuring device 40measures the optical intensity of the received returning light,calculates the distance from an input terminal of the optical fiber 70based on the time the light is received, and outputs the measuredoptical intensity and the calculated distance as measurement data.

In an optical transmission line on which a conventional communicationservice is provided, the measuring device 40 and a communication devicethat provides the communication service are connected as follows (notshown in FIG. 1). A wavelength-dependent directional coupler isconnected to a connection termination of the optical fiber 70 that themeasuring device 40 is connected to, two optical fibers are split to thedevice side from the directional coupler, the communication device isconnected to one of these optical fibers and the measuring device 40 isconnected to the other. An optical pulse for testing is then incidentonto the optical fiber 70 from the measuring device 40 via thedirectional coupler. Since light-splitting characteristics of thedirectional coupler are dependent on the optical wavelength of thereturning light, light of the optical pulse returning from the opticalfiber 70 returns to the measuring device 40 and not to the communicationdevice side. On the other hand, communication light of the communicationdevice passes via the directional coupler and enters the optical fiber70, from where reflected waves of communication light and the waves atthe wavelength of communication data return via the directional couplerto the communication device, and do not return to the measuring device40.

The device data managing device 80 stores beforehand device data of thedevice relating to the optical transmission line. Device data includesnames given to the device (e.g. names of the device and names ofconnection points), design lengths of cables, types of connections (e.g.connectors, splicing). Device data is stored by an operation performedby a construction controller during construction, and by an operationperformed by a user of the optical transmission line monitoring device 1when writing new device data during monitoring.

The map data managing device 90 is a server device for providing mapdata that is, for example, connected to the internet, and, in reply to atransmission of requested data including positional informationcontaining degrees of latitude and longitude, responds with map datawithin a fixed-distance range containing those degrees of latitude andlongitude.

The optical transmission line monitoring device 1 uses a detecting unit11 (explained below) to perform analysis based on the optical intensityof returning light measured by the measuring device 40, calculates anamount of loss or an amount of reflection attenuation, or executescontrols such as outputting a warning (i.e. an alarm) based on thecalculated amount of loss or amount of reflection attenuation.

In the optical transmission line monitoring device 1, a connection unit10 is connected to the measuring device 40, the device data managingdevice 80, and the map data managing device 90. The connection unit 10can be connected to a network and the like, and connected via thisnetwork to the measuring device 40, the device data managing device 80,and the map data managing device 90.

A reference data storage unit 15 stores reference values used whendetermining whether measurement data is a target for outputting analarm, or when determining whether the measurement data corresponds to atermination of the optical transmission line, and has the dataconfiguration shown in FIG. 2. In the reference data storage unit 15, areference loss amount is a reference value used whoa a detecting unit 11(explained below) determines whether a loss amount is a target foroutputting an alarm. A redetection reference loss amount is a referencevalue used by the detecting unit 11 when the loss amount at a distancealready output as an alarm increases, to determine whether the increaseamount must be output again as an alarm.

A reference reflection attenuation amount is a reference value used bythe detecting unit 11 to determine whether a reflection attenuationamount is a target for outputting an alarm. A redetection referencereflection attenuation amount is a reference value used by the detectingunit 11 when the reflection attenuation amount at a distance alreadyoutput as an alarm decreases, to determine whether the decrease amountmust be output again as an alarm. A terminal reference condition amountis a reference value including settings for loss amount and reflectionattenuation amount, and is used by the detecting unit 11 to determine atermination of the optical transmission line. Incidentally, the lossamount and the reflection attenuation amount are each set in units ofdecibels (dB).

An input unit 14, connected to input devices such as a keyboard 30 and amouse 31, detects a signal output by an input device that receives acommand input from a user of the optical transmission line monitoringdevice 1 and inputs data corresponding to the detected signal.

An notification device 33 contains a sound source for an alarm, aspeaker, a lamp, and the like. When the notification device 33 receivesa start command, it generates an alarm from the speaker and makes thelamp flash; when it receives a stop command, it terminates the alarm andextinguishes the lamp.

The detecting unit 11 receives measurement data relating to the opticaltransmission line from the measuring device 40 via the connection unit10, performs analysis based on the received measurement data, calculatesthe loss amount or the reflection attenuation amount of the opticaltransmission line, and records loss amount or the reflection attenuationamount together with the distance in a measurement data storage unit 19.When the calculated loss amount or reflection attenuation amount is ofpoorer quality than the reference loss amount and the referencereflection attenuation amount stored in the reference data storage unit15, the detecting unit 11 stores detection data correlating thedistance, the loss amount or the reflection attenuation amount, and datarelating to the status at the time of occurrence such as date and timedata, in a detection data storage unit 16; in addition, the detectingunit 11 notifies the alarm output unit 13 that a new piece of detectiondata has been stored.

In a case where output removal data (explained below) is added todetection data already stored in the detection data storage unit 16,when the detecting unit 11 receives new measurement data correspondingto the detection data, if the amount of change in the loss amount or thereflection attenuation amount is of poor quality than the redetectionreference loss amount or the redetection reference reflectionattenuation amount, the detecting unit 11 rewrites the loss amount orthe reflection attenuation amount to a new value, and notifies the alarmoutput unit 13 that the detection data has been updated.

When the calculated loss amount or reflection attenuation amount is ofpoorer quality than the loss amount or reflection attenuation amount ofthe terminal reference condition stored in the reference data storageunit 15, the detecting unit 11 stores detection data including thedistance, the loss amount or the reflection attenuation amount, dataindicating that it is a candidate for termination, and data relating tothe status at the time of occurrence such as date and time data, in thedetection data storage unit 16.

The phrase ‘of poorer quality’ signifies, in regard to the loss amount,that the calculated loss amount exceeds the reference loss amount, and,in regard to the reflection attenuation amount, signifies that thecalculated reflection attenuation amount falls below the referencereflection attenuation amount. In regard to the redetection referenceloss amount, when the loss amount increases, it becomes a target forredetection when the difference in loss before and after the increaseexceeds the redetection reference loss amount. In regard to theredetection reflection attenuation amount, when the reflectionattenuation amount decreases, it becomes a target for redetection whenthe difference in reflection attenuation amount before and after thedecrease falls below the redetection reference reflection attenuationamount.

When the alarm output unit 13 receives notification from the detectingunit 11 that a new piece of detection data has been stored, it createsalarm data based on the detection data stored in the detection datastorage unit 16, and outputs the created alarm data to a screen 32; inaddition, it transmits a start command to the notification device 33. Atthis time, if the detection data stored in the detection data storageunit 16 contains data indicating that it is a candidate for termination,the alarm output unit 13 creates alarm data containing data indicatingthat it is a candidate for termination, and outputs this to the screen32.

Furthermore, when the alarm output unit 13 receives data from aexclusion data processing unit 12 (explained below) indicating that thedetection data has been changed, in accordance with the change in thedetection data stored in the detection data storage unit 16, the alarmoutput unit 13 deletes the alarm data displayed on the screen 32 orchanges the display color, and terminates the alarm by transmitting astop command to the notification device 33. When sending notification ofa second alarm, it transmits a start command to the notification device33.

When a user manipulates the keyboard 30 and the mouse 31 to select alarmdata displayed on the screen 32, and makes a selection to exclude thisalarm data as a target for output, the exclusion data processing unit 12receives pieces of selection command data corresponding to eachselection that is input to the input unit 14, retrieves detection datacorresponding to the selection command data from the detection datastorage unit 16, and stores output removal data indicating that this isexcluded as a target for outputting an alarm in the retrieved detectiondata, i.e. it stores ‘OK’ in an ‘Ack’ entry of the detection datastorage unit 16 (explained below).

When a user manipulates the keyboard 30 and the mouse 31 to select alarmdata containing data indicating that it is a candidate for terminationdisplayed on the screen 32, and makes a selection to exclude this alarmdata as a target for output, the exclusion data processing unit 12receives pieces of selection command data corresponding to eachselection that is input to the input unit 14, retrieves detection datacorresponding to the selection command data from the detection datastorage unit 16, and stores ‘OK’ in the ‘Ack’ entry of the retrieveddetection data. Also, when the exclusion data processing unit 12 stores‘OK’ in the ‘Ack’ entry of the detection data, it notifies the alarmoutput unit 13 that the detection data has been changed.

The detecting unit 11 stores the detection data it detects in thedetection data storage unit 16, which has the data configuration shownin FIG. 3. One record of detection data stored in the detection datastorage unit 16 includes entries of ‘Occurrence Time’, ‘Status’, ‘Linedata’, ‘Type’, ‘Distance’, ‘Value’, ‘Ack’, and ‘Message’. Date and timedata contained in the measurement data detected by the detecting unit 11is stored in ‘Occurrence Time’. In ‘Status’, ‘Generated’ is stored fordetection data detected by the detecting unit 11 and output by the alarmoutput unit 13, and, while the alarm output unit 13 is outputting,‘Recovered’ is stored when subsequently measured measurement datacorresponding to that detection data satisfies the product quality. In‘Line data’, when a plurality of measuring devices 40 are connected tothe optical transmission line monitoring device 1, and when themeasuring device 40 has a plurality of ports, previously-givenidentification data enabling each of these to be identified is stored.In ‘Type’, ‘Loss’ is stored for a loss amount, ‘Reflection’ is storedfor a reflection attenuation amount, and ‘Termination’ is stored for atermination. In ‘Distance’, the distance from the input terminal of anoptical fiber 70 corresponding to a loss amount or a reflectionattenuation amount detected by the detecting unit 11 is stored. In‘Ack’, for detection data that a user confirms to be not a target foroutput, output removal data indicating that it has been removed as atarget for output (i.e. ‘OK’) is stored; for detection data that a userhas not yet confirmed to be not a target for output, data indicating‘Not Yet’ is stored. In ‘Message’, a message displayed when the alarmoutput unit 13 creates alarm data and outputs it to the screen 32 isstored. For example, in the case of an alarm, based on data for ‘Type’,‘Value’, and ‘Distance’, a message that reads ‘Level YYY of ZZZ dBdetected at XXX km’ is created while in the case of a termination, amessage reading ‘Termination detected at XXX km’ is created.

An device data display unit 17 receives command data input from theinput unit 14 when the user manipulates the keyboard 30 and the mouse31, reads measurement data from the measurement data storage unit 19,and displays it on the screen 32. The device data display unit 17receives, in the screen 32, command data input from the input unit 14when the user manipulates the keyboard 30 and the mouse 31, and receivesdevice data from the device data managing device 80. Based on thereceived device data and detection data corresponding to the measurementdata displayed on the screen 32, the device data display unit 17 detectsdevice data that is a target for generating an alarm, and outputs allthe received device data to the screen 32 with the detected device datathat is a target for generating an alarm in a recognizable format.

When measurement data displayed on the screen 32 by the device datadisplay unit 17, or alarm data displayed on the screen by the alarmoutput unit 13, is selected by the user manipulating the keyboard 30 andthe mouse 31, a positional data display unit 18 reads positional dataincluding degrees of latitude and longitude corresponding to thedistance contained in the selected data from a positional data storageunit 20, and transmits request data containing the positional data thatit read to the map data managing device 90. The positional data displayunit 18 also receives map data from the map data managing device 90, anddisplays the received map data on the screen 32.

The positional data storage unit 20 stores beforehand positional datacontaining degrees of latitude and longitude corresponding to distancesof each line of the optical transmission line. The distances stored bythe positional data storage unit 20 can be distances where therepresentative device is located, and positional data corresponding tothose distances; alternatively, select positional data that is nearest adistance input from the positional data display unit 18 can be selectedfrom among the stored distances, and replied to with positional datacorresponding to the selected distance which is then output to thepositional data display unit 18. When monitoring a plurality of opticaltransmission lines, data enabling each optical transmission line to beidentified (e.g. positional data corresponding to a distance in eachpiece of identification data stored in ‘Line data’ of the detection datastorage unit 16) can be stored, whereby the distance is input togetherwith the identification data from the positional data display unit 18.

Next, an alarm determination process performed by the detecting unit 11and the alarm output unit 13 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 4and 5.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are waveform graphs of measurement data received via theconnection unit 10, where the horizontal axis represents distance andthe vertical axis represents the intensity of returning light. FIG. 4Ais a normal waveform, and FIG. 4B, an irregular waveform. It is assumedhere that the reference values shown in FIG. 2 are set in the referencedata storage unit 15. The detecting unit 11 makes an analysis based onthe measurement data, and calculates a loss amount or a reflectionattenuation amount. Depending on the position, it is sometimesimpossible to calculate the reflection attenuation amount, in which caseonly the loss amount is calculated. For the loss amount, the detectingunit 11 compares the calculated loss amount with the loss amount of theterminal reference condition amount stored in the reference data storageunit 15; for the reflection attenuation amount, it compares thecalculated reflection attenuation amount with the loss amount of theterminal reference condition amount stored in the reference data storageunit 15. For a loss amount or a reflection attenuation amount that wasnot a candidate for termination, the detecting unit 11 compares thecalculated loss amount with the reference loss amount stored in thereference data storage unit 15, or compares the calculated reflectionattenuation amount with the reference reflection attenuation amountstored in the reference data storage unit 15.

In the regular waveform of FIG. 4A, since the loss amount of distance P3exceeds the loss amount of the terminal reference condition amount, andthe reflection attenuation amount is below the reflection attenuationamount of the terminal reference condition amount, it is detected as acandidate for termination. With regard to the comparison with theterminal reference condition amount, if one of the loss amount and thereflection attenuation amount satisfies the terminal reference conditionamount, the distance is detected as a candidate for termination.

In the irregular waveform of FIG. 4B, after detecting the distance P3 asa candidate for termination, at distance P1, since the loss amountexceeds the reference loss amount, distance P1 is detected as acandidate for alarm.

The detecting unit 11 creates detection data containing the distancedetected as a candidate for termination, or the distance detected as acandidate for alarm, and a loss amount or a reflection attenuationamount, and stores this detection data in the detection data storageunit 16. When the alarm output unit 13 receives data indicating that newdetection data has been stored from the detecting unit 11, it retrievesthe newly stored detection data from the detection data storage unit 16,creates alarm data based on the retrieved detection data, and outputs analarm confirmation screen 100 such as that shown in FIG. 5 to the screen32.

In the alarm confirmation screen 100 of FIG. 5, two pieces of alarm dataare displayed in a display area 200, the first being alarm datacorresponding to distance P1, the second being alarm data correspondingto distance P3 and containing data indicating that it is a candidate fortermination. The alarm confirmation screen 100 includes entries of‘Result’, ‘Occurrence Time’, ‘Level’, ‘Device’, ‘Port Name’, ‘Port’,‘Distance’, ‘Type’, ‘Value’, and ‘Message’. In ‘Result’, data stored inthe ‘Status’ entry of the detection data storage unit 16 is displayed.In ‘Occurrence Time’, data stored in the ‘Occurrence Time’ entry of thedetection data storage unit 16 is displayed. In ‘Level’, data indicatinglevels of alarm such as warning, error, and data, is displayed, andindicates a level based on a threshold set beforehand for each lossamount or reflection attenuation amount. In ‘Device’, ‘Port Name’, and‘Port’, data corresponding to ‘Line Data’ of the detection data storageunit 16 is displayed. The alarm output unit 13 makes the switch from‘Line Data’ to ‘Device’, ‘Port Name’, and ‘Port’ by referring to dataindicating the correlative relationship stored internally beforehand. In‘Type’, data of ‘Type’ in the detection data storage unit 16 isdisplayed. In ‘Value’, data of ‘Value’ in the detection data storageunit 16 is displayed. In ‘Message’, data of ‘Message’ in the detectiondata storage unit 16 is displayed.

Next, an operation of the exclusion data processing unit 12 when analarm confirmation command is received from a user will be explainedwith reference to FIGS. 6 to 12. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the overallflow when a user makes an alarm confirmation command. In the followingexplanation, to differentiate between a termination and other alarms,alarms other than termination are termed errors.

Firstly, an operation when an alarm confirmation command is receivedfrom the user will be explained.

The input unit 14 that receives a command from the user starts an alarmdetection process at the detecting unit 11 (step Sa1). The detectingunit 11 determines whether it is a termination or an error based on themeasurement data, and stores detection data relating to termination orerror in the detection data storage unit 16. When the detection data isstored in the detection data storage unit 16, the alarm output unit 13displays the alarm confirmation screen 100 on the screen 32 (step Sa2).The alarm output unit 13 then displays alarm data created from thedetection data on the alarm confirmation screen 100, and transmits astart command to the notification device 33 (step Sa3).

FIG. 7 is a diagram of alarm data displayed on the alarm confirmationscreen 100. While the alarm confirmation screen 100 is displayed on thescreen 32, the user manipulates the mouse 31 to start an alarmconfirmation operation (step Sa4).

When making a termination confirmation, the user manipulates the mouse31 and selects data in the ‘Type’ entry of the alarm confirmation screen100 displayed on the screen 32 indicating that it is a candidate fortermination, i.e. the row where ‘Termination’ is displayed (referencenumeral 201) (FIG. 7: click (1)). The input unit 14 receives thisselection, and inputs selection command data to the exclusion dataprocessing unit 12. The exclusion data processing unit 12 that inputsthis selection command data stores the data of the selected row in aninternal storage region (step Sa5).

While the row is selected, the user manipulates the mouse 31 and selectsa button (reference numeral 301) for ‘Termination Confirmation’ in thealarm confirmation screen 100 displayed on the screen 32 (FIG. 7: click(2)). The input unit 14 receives this selection, and inputs terminalselection command data to the exclusion data processing unit 12. Theexclusion data processing unit 12 that the termination selection commanddata is input to displays a small window (reference numeral 400) for‘Termination Confirmation’ shown in FIG. 8. The user then manipulatesthe mouse 31, and, in the small window (reference numeral 400) for‘Termination Confirmation’, selects a button for ‘Yes’ (referencenumeral 401) (FIG. 8: click). Having received this selection command,the exclusion data processing unit 12 reads data of the selected rowfrom an internal storage region, stores ‘OK’ in the ‘Ack’ column ofdetection data of the detection data storage unit 16 corresponding tothe data of the read row, and notifies the alarm output unit 13 that thedetection data has changed (step Sa6). The alarm output unit 13retrieves the detection data stored in the detection data storage unit16, and, when it detects that ‘Type’ has ‘OK’ stored in the ‘Ack’ recordof ‘Termination’, deletes the alarm data that is a candidate fortermination displayed in the alarm confirmation screen 100, and, whenthere is no other alarm data for notification, transmits a stop commandto the notification device 33. The screen 32 thus displays an alarmconfirmation screen 102 wherein the alarm data that was a candidate fortermination has been deleted (step Sa7).

By this process, alarm data corresponding to termination is deleted fromthe screen, enabling the alarm to be stopped. Thereafter, even if thedetecting unit 11 detects measurement data corresponding to termination,it becomes possible to display it as alarm data on the screen 32, and toprevent the notification device 33 from notifying it.

Next, an operation when an error is confirmed will be explained. FIG. 10is a diagram of an alarm confirmation screen 102 after a termination iscontained. The user manipulates the mouse 31 and selects data indicatingerror in the ‘Type’ entry of the alarm confirmation screen 102 displayedon the screen 32, i.e. the row where data indicating ‘Loss’ or‘Reflection’ is displayed (reference: numeral 202) (FIG. 10: click (1)).The input unit 14 that receives this selection inputs selection commanddata to the exclusion data processing unit 12. The exclusion dataprocessing unit 12 that receives this selection command data stores thedata of the selected row in an internal storage region (step Sa8).

With the row selected, the user manipulates the mouse 31 to select an‘Error Confirmation’ button (reference numeral 302) in the alarmcontinuation screen 102 displayed on the screen 32 (FIG. 10: click (2)).The input unit 14 receives this selection inputs error selection commanddata to the exclusion data processing unit 12. The exclusion dataprocessing unit 12 that the error selection command data is input todisplays a small window for ‘Error Confirmation’ (reference numeral 402)shown in FIG. 11. The user then manipulates the mouse 31 and, in thesmall window for ‘Error Confirmation’ (reference numeral 402), selects a‘Yes’ button (reference numeral 403) (FIG. 11: click). The exclusiondata processing unit 12 that receives this selection reads data of theselected row from an internal storage region, stores ‘OK’ in the ‘Ack’column of the detection data of the detection data storage unit 16corresponding to the data of the read row, and notifies the alarm outputunit 13 that the detection data has been changed (step Sa9). Thenotified alarm output unit 13 retrieves the detection data stored in thedetection data storage unit 16, and, when it detects that ‘Type’ has‘OK’ stored in the ‘Ack’ entry of the record for ‘Loss’ or ‘Reflection’,changes the display color of the alarm data displayed in the alarmconfirmation screen 100 shown in FIG. 12, and, when there is no otheralarm data for notification, transmits a stop command to thenotification device 33 (step Sa10).

By this process, in regard to alarm data corresponding to termination,other alarm data in the screen can be displayed in a recognizable color,making it easy for the user to distinguish between confirmed alarm dataand unconfirmed alarm data.

When the detecting unit 11 stores detection data detected and createdfrom new measurement data (hereinafter ‘new detection data’) in thedetection data storage unit 16 (step Sb1), it determines whether the newdetection data is already stored in the detection data storage unit 16.The determination of whether the new detection data is identical todetection data that is already stored is made by determining whether‘Line data’, ‘Type’, and ‘Distance’ in the detection data storage unit16 of FIG. 3 match (step Sb2). When matching detection data is notstored, the detecting unit 11 stores the new detection data in thedetection data storage unit 16, and, since the status has changed,notifies the alarm output unit 13 that new detection data has beenstored. The notified alarm output unit 13 creates alarm data from thedetection data, displayed it on the screen 32, and transmits a startcommand to the notification device 33 (step Sb3).

On the other hand, when detection data that matches the new detectiondata is stored in the detection data storage unit 16, the detecting unit11 determines whether the ‘Status’ entry of the stored detection data is‘Generated’ or ‘Recovered’ (step Sb4), When the ‘Status’ is ‘Generated’,the detecting unit 11 determines whether the ‘Ack’ entry of the storeddetection data is ‘Not Yet’ or ‘OK’ (step Sb5). When the detecting unit11 determines that the ‘Ack’ entry is ‘Not Yet’, the detecting unit 11changes the ‘Value’ entry of the detection data that has already beennotified to the value of the new detection data. The data is not changedat this time, to leave the first occurrence date and time. Although thedata in the ‘Status’ entry of the detection data storage unit 16 is notchanged at this time, since the detection data storage unit 16 isupdated, the detecting unit 11 notifies the alarm output unit 13 thatnew detection data has been stored. The alarm output unit 13 receivesthis notification, creates alarm data from the new detection data, anddisplays it on the screen 32 (step Sb6).

On the other hand in step Sb5, when the detecting unit 11 determinesthat the ‘Ack’ entry is ‘OK’, it calculates the difference between thedata of the ‘Value’ entry of the detection data that is already storedand the data in ‘Value’ of the new detection data, compares the amountof change indicated by the difference with the reference amount forredetection stored in the reference data storage unit 15, and determineswhether its quality is poorer, that is, in the case of the loss amount,whether it exceeds the redetection reference loss amount, or, in thecase of the reflection attenuation amount, whether it is below theredetection reference reflection attenuation amount (step Sb7). When thenew detection data is a loss amount, if the calculated difference doesnot exceed the redetection reference loss amount stored in the referencedata storage unit 15, the detecting unit 11 deems that there is nostatus change, and ends the process of updating the detection datastorage unit 16. This is due to the fact that, if ‘Value’ is changed inthat state, it will be impossible to calculate the difference from thepoint of first occurrence. When the new detection data is a reflectionattenuation amount, if the calculated difference is below theredetection reference reflection attenuation amount stored in thereference data storage unit 15, the detecting unit 11 deems that thereis no status change, and ends the process of updating the detection datastorage unit 16 (step Sb8).

On the other hand in step Sb7, when the new detection data is a lossamount, if the calculated difference exceeds the redetection referenceloss amount stored in the reference data storage unit 15, the detectingunit 11 deems that the status has changed, rewrites the ‘Value’ entry ofthe detection data storage unit 16 to the ‘Value’ of the new detectiondata, and changes the ‘Ack’ entry to ‘Not Yet’ such that it can bereconfirmed. In the operation type 3, when the new detection data is areflection attenuation amount, if the calculated difference exceeds theredetection reference reflection attenuation amount stored in thereference data storage unit 15, the detecting unit 11 deems that thestates has changed, rewrites the ‘Value’ entry of the detection datastorage unit 16 to the ‘Value’ of the new detection data, changes the‘Ack’ entry to ‘Not Yet’ such that it can be reconfirmed, and notifiesthe alarm output unit 13 that new detection data has been stored. Sincethe ‘Ack’ entry is ‘Not Yet’, the notified alarm output unit 13 changesthe screen display color to a display color for a normal alarm, andtransmits a start command to the notification device 33 (step Sb9).

On the other hand in step Sb4, when the detecting unit 11 determinesthat the ‘Status’ of the detection data already stored is ‘Recovered’,it deems that the status has changed, deletes the detection data of thedetection data storage unit 16 that matches the new detection data,stored the new detection data in the detection data storage unit 16, andnotifies the alarm output unit 13 that new detection data has beenstored. The notified alarm output unit 13 creates alarm data from thenew detection data, displays it on the screen, and transmits a startcommand to the notification device 33 (step Sb10). When ‘Status’ is‘Recovered’, for detection data whose ‘Ack’ is ‘OK’, in changing ‘Ack’to ‘OK’, the exclusion data processing unit 12 determines whether‘Status’ is ‘Recovered’, and, if so, the exclusion data processing unit12 deletes it from the detection data storage unit 16, whereby thedetection data storage unit 16 contains no detection data whose ‘Status’is ‘Recovered’ and whose ‘Ack’ is ‘OK’.

With this configuration, the optical transmission line can be monitoredwithout pre-registering device data and initial measurement data.Moreover, since the user can perform a confirmation operation and selectwhether to display a candidate for termination that is not anabnormality, he can ensure that only irregular data requiring repair isdisplayed. For an alarm requiring repair, the user can performconfirmation operations that, in regard to the screen display, changethe display color and terminate an notification, making it easy toidentify alarm data confirmed by the user. For detection data whosealarm notification is terminated by a confirmation operation made by theuser, if the amount of change exceeds a reference value for redetectionstored beforehand, the alarm is notified again. This makes it possibleto monitor status changes of failures that have previously been detectedas alarms.

Next, an operation of the device data display unit 17 will be explainedwith reference to FIGS. 14 to 17. FIG. 14 is a flowchart of an overallprocess executed by the device data display unit 17 when controlled by auser.

Firstly, by manipulating the keyboard 30 or the mouse 31, the userperforms an operation to activate a test result detail display screen.The input unit 14 that receives this operation inputs an activationcommand for test result detail display screen to the device data displayunit 17. The device data display unit 17 that this activation command isinput to reads measurement data from the measurement data storage unit19, and displays an device data detail display screen 500 shown in FIG.15 on the screen 32. A list of measurement data is displayed in adisplay region (reference numeral 501) of the device data detail displayscreen 500 (step Sc1). Next, the user manipulates the mouse 31 inselecting a button for device management coordination (reference numeral502) of the device data detail display screen 500, whereby the inputunit 14 inputs command data for which device management coordination isselected to the device data display unit 17. The device data displayunit 17 that this command data is input to connects via the connectionunit 10 to the device data managing device 80 (step Sc2), and, as shownin FIG. 16, a small window (reference numeral 600) displaying a list ofdevice data files stored in the device data managing device 80 isdisplayed (step Sc3).

The small window (reference numeral 600) includes a display region(reference numeral 601) for displaying a list of file names of files ofdevice data. In this display region (reference numeral 601), a usermanipulates the mouse 31, selects one file name, and, while it isselected, further manipulates the mouse 31 to select an ‘Open’ button(reference numeral 602) (step Sc4). When the selected pieces of data areinput from the input unit 14, the device data display unit 17 receives afile of device data having the selected file name from the device datamanaging device 80, and makes a verification of device data contained inthe received file and detection data stored in the detection datastorage unit 16 (step Sc5). The device data display unit 17 thendisplays a list display screen (reference numeral 700) of the receiveddevice data as shown in FIG. 17, and, in the list display screen(reference numeral 700), changes the display color of the device datacontaining the detection data (reference numeral 701) (step Sc6).

This configuration makes it possible to limit the range of closureswhere there is a failure and devices such as optical fibers, and toidentify locations of failures.

Next, an operation of the positional data display unit 18 will beexplained with reference to FIGS. 18 and 19. FIG. 18 is a flowchart ofan overall process performed by the positional data display unit 18 whencontrolled by a user.

Firstly let us suppose that the device data detail display screen 500shown in FIG. 15 is displayed on the screen 32 at the device datadisplay unit 17. In this state, the user manipulates the mouse 31 andselects one of the pieces of measurement data displayed in the displayregion (reference numeral 501). While this is selected, when the userfurther manipulates the mouse 31 and selects the map managementcoordination button (reference numeral 503), the input unit 14 inputsthe command data for which map management coordination is selected tothe positional data display unit 18 (step Sd1). The positional datadisplay unit 18 that the command data is input to reads the ‘MeasurementPosition’ data of the measurement data selected in the display region(reference numeral 501), and reads positional data containing degrees oflatitude and longitude corresponding to the status of the read‘Measurement Position’ from the positional data storage unit 20 (stepSd2). The positional data display unit 18 then transmits request datacontaining the read positional data to the map data managing device 90(step Sd3). The map data managing device 90 reads the positional datacontained in the received request data, retrieves surrounding map datathat contains the read positional data, and transmits the retrieved mapdata as a reply to the positional data display unit 18, whereby thepositional data display unit 18 receives the transmitted map data (stepSd4). The positional data display unit 18 then displays the map data itreceived from the map data managing device 90 on the screen 32 (stepSd5).

The map data managing device 90 can be a map data server or the likeconnected to the internet or the like. In that case, the request datatransmitted by the positional data display unit 18 must be created bythe positional data display unit 18 in compliance with an applicationinterface (API) of the map data server. For example, in the case of amap server device provided by Google (Registered Trademark), map datacan be obtained by creating a universal resource locator (URL) thatcontains data contending degrees of latitude and longitude, such as‘http://maps.google.co.jp/maps?11=36.538881,136.586494&spn=0.033150,0.057322&hl=ja’,and transmitting it to the map server device.

With this configuration, positions of failures can be displayed in themap data, enabling the user to easily ascertain the geographicallocations of the failures.

While the first embodiment describes a star-type interconnection as aspecific example of an optical transmission line, the invention is notlimited to this, it being possible to use a passive optical network(PON) system in which one optical fiber is split by a splitter, and thesplit optical fibers accommodate terminating devices provided at aplurality of users' homes. In that case, in addition to connectionpoints such as splicing points and connectors, the connection point ofthe splitter is also monitored.

Second Embodiment

Next, an optical transmission line monitoring device 1 a for monitoringa PON system optical transmission line will be explained as a secondembodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 19, an opticaltransmission line according to the second embodiment is a PON systemoptical transmission line including an optical fiber 160, a splitter191, optical fibers 161-1 to 161-M, a splitter 192-1, optical fibers162-1 to 162-N, and terminating devices 165-1 to 165-N used in homes ofusers. Like constituent parts of the first embodiment are designatedwith like reference numerals, and only parts which differ from the firstembodiment are explained below.

The splitters 191 and 192-1 are devices that split or combine opticalsignals, and are also known as optical couplers. For example, thesplitter 191 splits an optical signal from the optical fiber 160 into aplurality of optical fibers 161-1 to 161-M, and combines optical signalsfrom the plurality of optical fibers 161-1 to 161-M onto the opticalfiber 160. While splitters generally make 4, 8, 16, or 32 splits, thenumber of splits can be increased by connecting splitters in multiplestages.

A directional coupler (optical coupler) 180 includes three connectionterminations that connect to optical fibers. At these respectiveconnection terminations, optical fiber 160 connects to the splitter 191,optical fiber 150-1 connects to an optical switch 60 a, and opticalfiber 171 connects to a transmission device 170. The directional coupler180 makes wavelength-dependent splits and combinations, combiningcommunication light that is incident through optical fiber 171 via thetransmission device 170 with an optical pulse that is incident from themeasuring device 40 via optical fiber 150-1 and the optical switch 60 a,and outputting this to the optical fiber 160. When light waves areincident from the optical fiber 160, instead of outputting reflectedwaves of communication light to optical fiber 150-1, the directionalcoupler 180 outputs them to optical fiber 171 connected to thetransmission device 170. Returning light of the optical pulse is outputby the directional coupler 180 to the optical fiber 150-1 connected tothe optical switch 60 a, and not to optical fiber 171.

One connection termination of the optical switch 60 a connects to themeasuring device 40, and its other connected termination connect tooptical fibers 150-1 to 150-L. Based on a switch command input thereto,the connection termination connected to the measuring device 40 isconnected to one of the connection terminations of the optical fibers150-1 to 150-L. In FIG. 19, optical fiber 150-1 is selected.

The optical transmission line monitoring device 1 a differs from theoptical transmission line monitoring device 1 of the first embodiment inthat it includes a waveform display unit 21 that displays lightintensity and distance of returning light on a coordinate axis, a peakdetector 22 that detects the location of a reflection peak of returninglight intensity in a monitoring region selected arbitrarily by a user,an alarm output unit 13 a, and a exclusion data processing unit 12 a.These differing parts of the configuration are explained below.

The waveform display unit 21 displays measurement data input from themeasuring device 40 via the connection unit 10 as a waveform on thescreen 32. The peak detector 22 includes a frame display unit 23 and adetection processing unit 24. The frame display unit 23 displays a framein a region identified by coordinates input from the input unit 14 whenit detects that the user manipulates the mouse 31, on the screen 32where the waveform display unit 21 displays the waveform. The detectionprocessing unit 24 detects the peak of a waveform in the regionidentified by the frame display unit 23, makes an analysis based on datarelating to the optical intensity and distance at the peak, calculatesthe reflection attenuation amount of the optical transmission line, andrecords the distance and the calculated reflection attenuation amount inthe measurement data storage unit 19. As in the first embodiment, thereflection attenuation amount is recorded in units of decibels (dB).

The detection processing unit 24 creates the detection data shown inFIG. 3 of the first embodiment, stores the created data in the detectiondata storage unit 16, and notifies the alarm output unit 13 a that newdetection data has been stored. In the second embodiment, when creatingnew detection data, ‘Reflection’ is recorded in the ‘Type’ entry, and,when identified by a confirmation operation (described below) as a PONsystem terminating device 165-1 to 165-N, ‘PON’ is recorded in the‘Type’ entry.

When creating new detection data while detection data is already storedin the detection data storage unit 16, the detection processing unit 24detects detection data corresponding to the created detection data fromthe detection data storage unit 16. When output removal data is storedin the detection data detected from the detection data storage unit 16(i.e. when ‘OK’ is recorded in the ‘Ack’ entry), the detectionprocessing unit 24 determines whether the reflection attenuation amountin the new detection data has increased, by using the reflectionattenuation amount included in the detection data as a reference. Whenthe detection processing unit 24 determines that the reflectionattenuation amount in the new detection data has increased with respectto the reference reflection attenuation amount, it deletes the detectiondata in the detection data storage unit 16 corresponding to the newdetection data, stores the new detection data in the detection datastorage unit 16, rewrites the ‘Ack’ entry to ‘Not Yet’, and notifies thealarm output unit 13 a that new detection data has been stored.

When the alarm output unit 13 a receives notification from the detectionprocessing unit 24 that new detection data has been stored, it creates,based on the detection data stored in the detection data storage unit16, display data corresponding to the alarm data of the firstembodiment, outputs the created display data to the screen 32, and,outputs, from among the output display data, display data having ‘NotYet’ in the ‘Ack’ entry of the corresponding detection data, to thescreen 32 in a display color that indicates alarm; in addition, thealarm output unit 13 a transmits a start command to the notificationdevice 33. Output display data having ‘Processed in the ‘Ack’ entry ofthe corresponding detection data is displayed in a display color otherthan one indicating an alarm.

When the alarm output unit 13 a receives notification from the exclusiondata processing unit 12 a that the detection data has been changed, fromamong the detection data stored in the detection data storage unit 16,the alarm output unit 13 a changes the display color of display datahaving ‘Not Yet’ in its ‘Ack’ entry to a display color indicating analarm. In addition, the alarm output unit 13 a transmits a stop commandto the notification device 33 to make it stop the notification. Whenmaking notification of a subsequent alarm, the alarm output unit 13 atransmits a start command to the notification device 33.

In addition to alarm confirmation made by the exclusion data processingunit 12 in the first embodiment, the exclusion data processing unit 12 aperforms a PON confirmation process of confirming whether a peakdetected by the peak detector 22 is caused by reflection from theterminating devices 165-1 to 165-N in the PON system opticaltransmission line. A process of the optical transmission line monitoringdevice 1 a according to the second embodiment will be explained below.

PON Confirmation Operation and Alarm Confirmation Operation

Firstly, a confirmation operation in a PON system optical transmissionline will be explained with reference to FIGS. 20 to 26. FIG. 20 is aflowchart of a PON confirmation operation and an alarm confirmationoperation. Explanation with reference to FIGS. 20 to 26 will follow theflow of these operations.

In FIG. 21, the input unit 14 receives a command from the user whomanipulates the keyboard 30 and the mouse 31, and inputs a displaycommand to the waveform display unit 21. On the screen 32, the waveformdisplay unit 21 displays a measurement data display screen 250 thatdisplays a waveform based on measurement data received from themeasuring device 40 (step Sc1).

The measurement data display screen 250 includes an all measurement datadisplay region 251 and a partial measurement data display region 253.The all measurement data display region 251 displays all the measurementdata received from the measuring device 40 as a waveform, with thehorizontal axis representing distance and the vertical axis representingoptical intensity. The partial measurement data display region 253displays a partial region selected from the all measurement data displayregion 251 as an enlarged waveform.

The user selects a partial region in the all measurement data displayregion 251 by manipulating the mouse 31. In compliance with thismanipulation of the mouse 31, the input unit 14 inputs coordinate datain the all measurement data display region 251 to the frame display unit23. The frame display unit 23 displays a frame 252 in compliance withthe input coordinate data, and identifies a region for enlargement. Thewaveform display unit 21 detects the coordinate data of the frame 252identified by the frame display unit 23, and displays an enlargedwaveform of the measurement data in the region identified by thedetected coordinate data in the partial measurement data display region253.

In the partial measurement data display region 253, the user visuallyconfirms a peak of the returning light generated by reflection from theterminating devices 165-1 to 165-N, and manipulates the mouse 31 suchthat a frame 254 encloses the peak. The input unit 14 detects thismanipulation of the mouse 31, and inputs coordinate data to the framedisplay unit 23. The frame display unit 23 identifies a region bydisplaying the frame 254 in the partial measurement data display region253 (step Sc2).

The detection processing unit 24 detects peak portions of the opticalintensity in the region identified by the frame display unit 23, i.e.peaks 255-1 to 255-5 in FIG. 21 (step Sc3). The detection processingunit 24 then creates detection data based the distances and opticalintensity of the detected peaks. The detection processing unit 24 storesthe created detection data in the detection data storage unit 16 usingthe format shown in FIG. 3. When the detection processing unit 24 firststores the detection data in the detection processing unit 24, it storesdata contained in the measurement data corresponding to the locations ofthe peaks in ‘Occurrence Time’, ‘Line Data’, and ‘Distance’. Thedetection processing unit 24 stores ‘Generated’ in the ‘Status’ entry,and ‘Reflection’ in the ‘Type’ entry, In ‘Value’, the detectionprocessing unit 24 stores the reflection attenuation amount calculatedfor each peak, and stores ‘Not Yet’ in ‘Ack’. In ‘Message’, as in thefirst embodiment, it stores a message displayed when the alarm outputunit 13 a outputs to the screen 32. The detection processing unit 24then notifies the alarm output unit 13 a that new detection data hasbeen stored (step Sc4).

When data indicating that new detection data has been stored in thedetection data storage unit 16 is input to the alarm output unit 13 afrom the detection processing unit 24, the alarm output unit 13 acreates display data based on the detection data stored in the detectiondata storage unit 16, and displays a PON confirmation screen 270 shownin FIG. 22 on the screen 32. The PON confirmation screen 270 shown inFIG. 22 displays display data 280 based on the detection data newlystored in the detection data storage unit 16. Here, since the ‘Ack’entries of all the detection data are ‘Not Yet’, the alarm output unit13 a displays the display data in a color indicating an alarm (stepSc5).

In the display data 280 displayed on the PON confirmation screen 270,the user registers the fact that the reflection is from a terminatingdevice in the PON system optical transmission line, and makesconfirmation such that it will not be displayed as an alarm (hereinafter‘PON confirmation’).

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 23, when data displayed in the uppermostrow of the display data 280 requires PON confirmation, the usermanipulates the mouse 31 and selects a check box 281 of that row. Theinput unit 14 receives that selection, and inputs selection command datato the exclusion data processing unit 12 a. The exclusion dataprocessing unit 12 a inputs the selection command data, and stores dataof the selected row in an internal storage region (step Sc6).

With the row selected, the user manipulates the mouse 31 and selects a‘PON confirmation’ button 272 on the PON confirmation screen 270. Theinput unit 14 receives this selection, and inputs terminal selectioncommand data to the exclusion data processing unit 12 a. The exclusiondata processing unit 12 a that the termination selection command data isinput to displays a small window 282 for ‘PON confirmation’. The userthen manipulates the mouse 31, and selects a ‘Yes’ button 283 in thesmall window 282 for ‘PON confirmation’ (step Sc7).

The exclusion data processing unit 12 a receives this selection, readsthe data of the selected row from an internal storage region, stores‘PON’ in the ‘Type’ entry of the detection data in the detection datastorage unit 16 corresponding to the data of the read row, and notifiesthe alarm output unit 13 a that the detection data has been changed.

The notified alarm output unit 13 a retrieves the detection data fromthe detection data storage unit 16, and retrieves the ‘Ack’ entry.Display data corresponding to detection data whose ‘Ack’ entry is ‘NotYet’ is displayed by the alarm output unit 13 a in a display colorindicating an alarm, while display data corresponding to detection datawhose ‘Ack’ entry is ‘OK’ is displayed by the alarm output unit 13 a ina display color other than the color indicating an alarm (step Sc8). Inthe case of FIG. 23, the display data of the row for which a PONconfirmation is made as shown in FIG. 24 is displayed in a display colorother than that indicating an alarm. At this time, the data stored inthe ‘Type’ entry of the detection data, i.e. ‘PON’ is output to the‘Type’ entry of the display data 284, and ‘Normal’ is output to the‘Level’ entry. When there is no display data displayed in another alarmdisplay color that is a target for notification, the alarm output unit13 a transmits a stop command to the notification device 33 (step Sc8).Consequently, display data that PON confirmation is made for, i.e. thatis confirmed by the user as a peak of the terminating device, can beprevented from being displayed as an alarm.

Next, an operation for confirmation of an alarm such that peaks ofreflections other than those generated by the terminating devices 165-1to 165-N are excluded from monitoring in subsequent measuring will beexplained with reference to FIGS. 25 and 26. Here, peaks of reflectionsother than those generated by the terminating devices 165-1 to 165-Ninclude reflections from connectors and terminations connected to theoptical transmission line. As shown in FIG. 25, based on a manipulationof the mouse 31 by the user in the PON confirmation screen 270 in thesame manner as in a PON confirmation, a row (reference numeral 285)displaying display data 288 corresponding to a peak that is the targetof the alarm confirmation operation is selected (step Sc9). An alarmconfirmation button 273 is then selected, and a ‘Yes’ button 283 in asmall window 282 is selected (step Sc10).

The exclusion data processing unit 12 a receives this selection, readsthe data of the selected row from an internal storage region, writes‘OK’ in the ‘Ack’ entry of the detection data of the detection datastorage unit 16 corresponding to the data of the read row, and notifiesthe alarm output unit 13 a that the detection data has been changed.

The notified alarm output unit 13 a retrieves the detection data storedin the detection data, storage unit 16, and retrieves the ‘Ack’ entry.The alarm output unit 13 a displays detection data corresponding to thedetection data whose ‘Ack’ entry is ‘Not Yet’ in a display colorindicating an alarm, and displays detection data corresponding todetection data whose ‘Ack’ entry is ‘OK’ in a display color other thanone indicating an alarm (step Sc11). In the example of FIG. 25, thedisplay data 284 relating to the detection data detected as shown inFIG. 26 is displayed in a display color other than one that indicates analarm. When there is no display data displayed in another alarm displaycolor that is a target for notification, the alarm output unit 13 atransmits a stop command to the notification device 33 (step Sc11). Thisensures that display data confirmed by the user to be a peak that is nota target for alarm confirmation, i.e. not a target for monitoring, isnot displayed as an alarm.

Abnormality Detection Process

Next, an abnormality detection process of the optical transmission linemonitoring device 1 a according to the second embodiment will beexplained with reference to FIGS. 27 and 28. FIGS. 27 and 28 arediagrams of display steps of displaying display data in a display colorindicating an alarm when the reflection attenuation amount increases ata peak for which a PON confirmation has been made. FIG. 27 is a diagramof the state where a PON confirmation or an alarm confirmation has beenmade in all display data 289, in which the display data 289 is displayedin a display color other than one indicating an alarm. At this time,when new measurement data is output from the measuring device 40, thedetection processing unit 24 creates new detection data for each peak inthe region identified by the frame display unit 23.

When creating new detection data, the detection processing unit 24determines whether detection data corresponding to the new detectiondata is already stored in the detection data storage unit 16. Thedetermination of whether the new detection data is identical todetection data that is already stored is made by determining whether‘Line data’, ‘Type’, and ‘Distance’ in the detection data storage unit16 match. When detection data that matches the new detection data isalready stored in the detection data storage unit 16, the detectionprocessing unit 24 uses the ‘Ack’ entry of the detection data, i.e. thereflection attenuation amount, as a reference in determining whether thereflection attenuation amount of the new detection data has increased.If it has increased, the detection processing unit 24 stores thereflection attenuation amount of the new detection data in the ‘Value’entry of the detection data storage unit 16 that matches the newdetection data, rewrites the ‘Ack’ entry to ‘Not Yet’, and notifies thealarm output unit 13 a that new detection data has been stored.

When the alarm output unit 13 a receives notification from the detectionprocessing unit 24 that new detection data has been stored, it searchesthe detection data storage unit 16 and, if it detected detection datawhose ‘Ack’ entry is ‘Not Yet’, as shown in FIG. 28, displays displaydata 290 corresponding to the detected detection data in a display colorindicating an alarm, and transmits a start command to the notificationdevice 33. This enables the user to be informed that the reflectionattenuation amount has increased and an abnormality has occurred. Whenthe reflection attenuation amount decreases, since no abnormality isindicated, the reflection attenuation amount of the newly createddetection data is written in the ‘Value’ entry of the corresponding todetection data, and the process ends.

Process when Adding Device

Next, FIG. 29 is a diagram of an operation of the optical transmissionline monitoring device 1 a when the detection processing unit 24 createsnew detection data based on peaks in the region identified by the framedisplay unit 23, and the detection data storage unit 16 does not containany detection data matching the new detection data.

When the detection data storage unit 16 does not contain any detectiondata matching the new detection data, the detection processing unit 24deems that the newly created detection data does not indicate anabnormality, and that one terminating device has been added. Thedetection processing unit 24 therefore stores ‘Data’ in the ‘Status’entry of the created detection data, stores ‘Not Yet’ in the ‘Ack’entry, and notifies the alarm output unit 13 a that new detection datahas been stored. When the alarm output unit 13 a receives notificationthat new detection data has been stored from the detection processingunit 24, it searches the detection data storage unit 16, detectsdetection data for which display data is not created, creates displaydata for the detection data, and displays it on the PON confirmationscreen 270 as display data 291 shown in FIG. 29. At this time, ‘Data’stored in the ‘Status’ entry of the detection data is displayed in the‘Level’ entry of the display data 291.

Similarly in the optical transmission line monitoring device 1 aaccording to the second embodiment, the device data managing device 80and the map data managing device 90 can be used in checking devicelocations of terminating devices 165-1 to 165-N where irregularitiesoccur. This makes it possible to limit the range of the device ofoptical fibers where failures occur, and to identify the failurepositions. The failure positions can also be displayed in map data,enabling the user to easily ascertain the geographical locations offailures.

According to the configuration of the second embodiment, a PON systemoptical transmission line can be monitored without pre-registeringdevice data and initial measurement data. Moreover, peaks caused byreflection from the terminating devices 165-1 to 165-N that are notirregularities can be prevented, by a manipulation performed the user,from being displayed in a display color indicating an alarm. Also,irregularities that do not require failure repair can be prevented, by amanipulation performed by the user, from being displayed in a displaycolor indicating an alarm. Therefore, data displayed as an alarm can berestricted to irregular data requiring failure repair, making it easierfor the user to identify irregularities.

With regard to detection data for which the user has made a PONconfirmation or an alarm confirmation, when the reflection attenuationamount increases, or when the number of peaks decreases, this detectiondata is displayed again in a display color indicting an alarm, therebyenabling status changes on the optical transmission line to bemonitored.

When a reflection peak is newly generated, it is displayed as anaddition to the terminating devices 165-1 to 165-N. This configurationmakes it easy for the user to differentiate between peaks caused byirregularities and reflection peaks generated by addition of a device.

Third Embodiment

Next, a third embodiment of the invention will be explained. As with theoptical transmission line monitoring device 1 a shown in FIG. 19, thethird embodiment relates to a PON system optical transmission line, theconfiguration being the same as the optical transmission line monitoringdevice 1 a of the second embodiment with the exception of theconfigurations of the alarm output unit 13 a and the exclusion dataprocessing unit 12 a. An alarm output unit of the third embodiment isrepresented by reference numeral 13 b, a exclusion data processing unitby reference numeral 12 b, and an optical transmission line monitoringdevice by reference numeral 1 b.

When the alarm output unit 13 b according to the third embodimentcreates display data for outputting to the screen based on detectiondata stored in the detection data storage unit 16, instead of creatingdisplay data based on each piece of detection data, it creates displaydata containing the number of pieces of detection data. The alarm outputunit 13 b also transmits, to the exclusion data processing unit 12 b,data indicating a correlative relationship between the display data andthe original detection data from which the display data was created. Asshown specifically in FIG. 30, it creates display data 380 having anentry for ‘Number of Reflection Peaks’, and outputs this to a PONconfirmation screen 370. In FIG. 30, the display data 380 is based ondetection data first created by the detection processing unit 24, and,since ‘Not Yet’ is stored in the ‘Ack’ entries of all the detectiondata, it is displayed in a display color indicating an alarm.

When the exclusion data processing unit 12 b receives the dataindicating the correlative relationship between the display data and thedetection data from the alarm output unit 13 b, it stores this data inan internal storage region. When a PON confirmation operation (describedbelow) is performed to the display data, based on the internally storeddata indicating the correlative relationship, the exclusion dataprocessing unit 12 b writes ‘OK’ in the ‘Ack’ entry of the detectiondata of the detection data storage unit 16 corresponding to the displaydata, and notifies the alarm output unit 13 b that the detection datahas been changed. An operation of the optical transmission linemonitoring device 1 b according to the third embodiment will beexplained below.

PON Confirmation Operation

FIG. 31 is a diagram of steps of a PON confirmation operation in the PONconfirmation screen 370. The PON confirmation operation in the thirdembodiment is performed when a user confirms that all the peaksdisplayed by the number in ‘Number of Reflection Peaks’ are generated bythe terminating devices 165-1 to 165-N. Specifically, the usermanipulates the mouse 31 on the PON confirmation screen 370 such as toselect a row (reference numeral 381) indicating the display data 380 forPON confirmation. The user then selects a PON confirmation button 372,and selects a ‘Yes’ button 383 in a small window that is therebydisplayed.

The exclusion data processing unit 12 b receives this selection, readsdata of the selected row from an internal storage region, and readsdisplay data indicating a correlative relationship between the displaydata corresponding to data of the read row and the detection data. Theexclusion data processing unit 12 b then writes ‘OK’ in the ‘Ack’ entryof the detection data storage unit 16 corresponding to the readdetection data, and notifies the alarm output unit 13 b that thedetection data has been changed.

The notified alarm output unit 13 b retrieves detection data stored inthe detection data storage unit 16, and retrieves the ‘Ack’ entry. Thealarm output unit 13 b displays display data corresponding to detectiondata whose ‘Ack’ entry is ‘Not Yet’ in a display color indicating analarm, and displays display data corresponding to detection data whose‘Ack’ entry is ‘OK’ in a display color other than one indicating analarm. Thus in the display data 380 shown in FIG. 31 is displayed as thedisplay data 383 in a display color other than a color indicating analarm as shown in FIG. 32.

Abnormality Detection Process

Next, an operation for detecting abnormality of the optical(transmission line monitoring device 1 b according to the thirdembodiment will be explained. In the third embodiment, a decrease in thenumber of peaks is detected as an abnormality. FIG. 33 is a diagram of adisplay state of the PON confirmation screen 370 when, after performingthe PON confirmation shown in FIG. 32, the number of peaks in the regionidentified by the frame display unit 23 decreases. When new measurementdata is input to the detection processing unit 24 from the measuringdevice 40, the detection processing unit 24 creates a new piece ofdetection data for each peak in the region identified by the framedisplay unit 23. The detection processing unit 24 then counts the numberof pieces of newly created detection data, and, using the number ofpieces of detection data already stored in the detection data storageunit 16 or the number of pieces of display data displayed on the screen32 as a reference, determines whether the number of pieces of newlycreated detection data has decreased.

If the defection processing unit 24 determines that the number hasdecreased, it deems that an abnormality has occurred. Accordingly, thedetection processing unit 24 deletes the detection data stored in thedetection data storage unit 16, rewrites it to the newly createddetection data, and changes the ‘Ack’ entry to ‘Not Yet.’ When thenumbers match, the detection processing unit 24 rewrites each piece ofdetection data stored in the detection data storage unit 16 to thecontents of the new detection data corresponding to the stored detectiondata. The detection processing unit 24 then notifies the alarm outputunit 13 b that new detection data has been stored. The notified alarmoutput unit 13 b counts the number of pieces of detection data in thedetection data storage unit 16 whose ‘Ack’ entry is ‘Not Yet’, andcreates display data 384, which it displays in a color indicating analarm as shown in FIG. 33. Thus the user can learn, from the decrease inthe number of peaks, that an abnormality has occurred.

When the number of peaks increases, i.e. when the number of newlycreated pieces of detection data increases, the detection processingunit 24 stores the increased detection data in the detection datastorage unit 16, creates display data based on the increased detectiondata, and displays this display data on the PON confirmation screen 370,together with data indicating that a new terminating device has beenadded.

While in the third embodiment, as in the second embodiment, detectiondata of each peak is stored in the detection data storage unit 16, andthe number of pieces of detection data is counted by the alarm outputunit 13 b in creating display data, this is not limitative of theinvention. The configuration need only be such that the number of peaksis counted, and displayed on the PON confirmation screen 270. Forexample, instead of creating detection data for each peak, the detectionprocessing unit 24 can create one row of detection data constituted byentries of the display data 380 shown in FIG. 30, based on data relatingto a plurality of peaks in the region identified by the frame displayunit 23, and store this display data in the detection data storage unit16. The alarm output unit 13 b can now create display data based on thestored detection data and display it on the PON confirmation screen 370,without needing to count the number of pieces of detection data in thedetection data storage unit 16.

According to the configuration of the third embodiment, a PON systemoptical transmission line can be monitored without pre-registeringdevice data and initial measurement data. Moreover, peaks caused byreflection from the terminating devices 165-1 to 165-N that are notirregularities can be prevented, by a manipulation performed the user,from being displayed in a display color indicating an alarm. Also,irregularities that do not require failure repair can be prevented, by amanipulation performed by the user, from being displayed in a displaycolor indicating an alarm. Therefore, data displayed as an alarm can berestricted to irregular data requiring failure repair, making it easierfor the user to identify irregularities.

Note that, in the second embodiment, data relating to the peaks analyzedby the peak detector 22 is not limited to reflection attenuation amount,and can be loss amount instead.

While in the second and the third embodiments, the detection processingunit 24 detects peaks in a region identified by the frame display unit23, this is not limitative of the invention; instead, it can detect allpeaks above a predetermined optical intensity threshold.

Reference data storage device of the invention corresponds to thereference data storage unit 15, the detecting device corresponds to thedetecting unit 11, and the alarm outputting device corresponds to thealarm output units 13, 13 a, and 13 b. The inputting device and thecoordinate data inputting device correspond to the input unit 14, theremoval data adding device corresponds to the exclusion data processingunits 12, 12 a, and 12 b, and the detection data storage devicecorresponds to the detection data storage unit 16. The notifying devicecorresponds to the notification device 33. The first connecting deviceand the second connecting device correspond to the connection unit 10.The device data displaying device corresponds to the device data displayunit 17. The positional data storage device corresponds to thepositional data storage unit 20, and the positional data displayingdevice corresponds to the positional data display unit 18. The waveformdisplaying device corresponds to the waveform display unit 21, the peakdetecting device corresponds to the peak detector 22, the framedisplaying device corresponds to the frame display unit 23, and thedetection processing device corresponds to the detection processing unit24.

Each of the optical transmission line monitoring devices 1, 1 a, and 1 bincludes an internal computer system. Steps of an alarm determinationprocess, a process of the exclusion data processing unit when itreceives an alarm confirmation from a user, a coordinated process of thedevice data managing device and the map data managing device, the PONconfirmation process, an alarm confirmation manipulation, an abnormalitydetection process, and a process when adding a device are stored inprogram format in a computer-readable recording medium, and areperformed by making a computer read and execute that program. Acomputer-readable recording medium here refers to a magnetic disk, anoptical magnetic disk, a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, a semiconductor memory, andso on. The computer program can also be delivered via a communicationline to the computer, which receives and executes the program.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been described andillustrated above, it should be understood that these are exemplary ofthe invention and are not to be considered as limiting. Additions,omissions, substitutions, and other modifications can be made withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the present invention.Accordingly, the invention is not to be considered as being limited bythe foregoing description, and is only limited by the scope of theappended claims.

1. An optical transmission line monitoring device comprising: a devicethat is connected to a measuring device that introduces an optical pulsealong a longitudinal direction of an optical fiber constituting anoptical transmission line, and measures the optical intensity ofreturning light obtained by the incidence and a distance based on a timewhen the returning light is received, the device calculating amanagement amount by performing an analysis of the optical intensityobtained from the measuring device; a reference data storage device thatstores reference management amounts beforehand; a detecting device thatdetects a distance when the calculated management amount is of poorerquality than the reference management amount stored in the referencedata storage device, creates detection data containing the managementamount at the time of detection, and stores the created detection datain a detection data storage device; and an alarm outputting device thatcreates alarm data based on the detection data created by the detectingdevice, and displays the created alarm data on a screen; an inputtingdevice that, when manipulated by a user, inputs selection command datathat indicates that the alarm data displayed on the screen is selectedas alarm data that will not be output; and a removal data adding devicethat adds, to the detection data stored in the detection data storagedevice corresponding to the alarm data of the selection command datainput by the inputting device, output removal data indicating that it isnot a target for outputting by the alarm outputting device; the alarmoutputting device displaying alarm data displayed on the screen,corresponding to the detection data that the removal data adding deviceadds the output removal data to, such that it can be distinguished fromother alarm data.
 2. The optical transmission line monitoring deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the reference data storage device stores atermination reference management amount that becomes a condition fordetecting a termination of the optical transmission line; the detectingdevice detects the distance when the management amount is of poorerquality than the termination reference management amount stored in thereference data storage device, creates termination detection datacontaining the detected distance and the management amount, and storesthe created termination detection data in the detection data storagedevice; and the alarm outputting device creates, based on thetermination detection data created by the detecting device, alarm datacontaining data indicating that it is a candidate for termination, anddisplays the created alarm data on the screen.
 3. The opticaltransmission line monitoring device according to claim 2, wherein theinputting device, manipulated by the user, inputs selection command dataindicating that the alarm data containing data indicating that it is acandidate for termination displayed on the screen is selected as atermination; the removal data adding device adds output removal data tothe detection data stored in the detection data storage devicecorresponding to the alarm data of the selection command data indicatingthat it is selected as a termination, input by the inputting device; andwith respect to detection data of the termination that the outputremoval data was added to by the removal data adding device, when alarmdata corresponding to that detection data is being displayed on thescreen, the alarm outputting device deletes the display of the alarmdata.
 4. The optical transmission line monitoring device according toclaim 2, further comprising a notifying device that notifies a warning;and wherein the alarm outputting device displays the alarm data on thescreen, and notifies the alarm to the detecting device; with respect tothe detection data that the output removal data was added to by theremoval data adding device, displays alarm data being displayed on thescreen corresponding to that detection data such that it can beextinguished from other alarm data, and makes the notifying device stopnotification of the alarm; or, with respect to the detection data of thetermination that the output removal data was added to by the removaldata adding device, when alarm data corresponding to that detection datais being displayed on the screen, deletes display of the alarm data, andmakes the notifying device stop notification of the alarm.
 5. Theoptical transmission line monitoring device according to claim 1,wherein the reference data storage device stores a redetection referencemanagement amount that becomes a condition when redisplaying the alarmdata; the detecting device, when the detection data corresponding to thedetected distance exists in the detection data storage device and theoutput removal data has been added to the detection data, calculates adifference between a management amount corresponding to the detecteddistance and the management amount contained in the detection data, and,when the calculated difference is of poorer quality than the redetectionreference management amount, stores the detected management amount inthe detection data, and deletes the output removal data; and the alarmoutputting device creates alarm data corresponding to the detection datafrom which the detecting device deleted the output removal data, anddisplays the created alarm data on the screen.
 6. The opticaltransmission line monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein themanagement amount is a loss amount; the reference data storage devicestores a reference loss amount as the reference management amount; andthe detecting device detects the distance when the loss amount exceedsthe reference loss amount stored in the reference data storage device,creates detection data containing the loss amount and the distance atthe time of detection, and stores the created detection data in thedetection data storage device.
 7. The optical transmission linemonitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the management amount isa reflection attenuation amount; the reference data storage devicestores a reference reflection attenuation amount as the referencemanagement amount; and the detecting device detects the distance whenthe reflection attenuation amount is below the reference reflectionattenuation amount stored in the reference data storage device, createsdetection data containing the reflection attenuation amount and thedistance at the time of detection, and stores the created detection datain the detection data storage device.
 8. The optical transmission linemonitoring device according to claim 3, wherein the management amount isa loss amount or a reflection attenuation amount; the reference datastorage device stores a termination reference loss amount or atermination reference reflection attenuation amount as the terminationreference management amount; and the detecting device detects thedistance when the loss amount exceeds the termination reference lossamount stored in the reference data storage device, and when thereflection attenuation amount is below the termination referencereflection attenuation amount stored in the reference data storagedevice, creates termination detection data containing the detecteddistance and the loss amount, or the reflection attenuation amount, andstores the created detection data in the detection data storage device.9. The optical transmission line monitoring device according to claim 1,comprising: a first connecting device connected to a device datamanaging device that stores device data of the optical transmission linein an internal storage region; and a device data display device thatreceives the device data from the device data managing device via thefirst connecting device, and, based on the detection data stored in thedetection data storage unit and the received device data, extracts, fromthe device data, device data corresponding to the detection data, anddisplays it on a screen.
 10. The optical transmission line monitoringdevice according to claim 1, comprising: a second connecting deviceconnected to a map data managing device that receives input ofpositional data, and outputs map data, displaying superimposed dataindicating a location corresponding to the positional data; a positionaldata storage device that stores positional data corresponding to thedistance of each detection data on the optical transmission line; and apositional data display device that reads positional data correspondingto a distance confined in the alarm data from the positional datastorage device, transmits the read positional data via the secondconnecting device to the map data managing device, receives map datadisplaying superimposed data indicating a location corresponding to thepositional data from the map data managing device, and displays thereceived map data on a screen.
 11. An optical transmission linemonitoring method in an optical transmission line monitoring devicecomprising a device that is connected to a measuring device thatintroduces an optical pulse along a longitudinal direction of an opticalfiber constituting an optical transmission line, and measures theoptical intensity of returning light obtained by the incidence and adistance based on a time when the returning light is received, thedevice calculating a management amount by performing an analysis of theoptical intensity obtained from the measuring device; a reference datastorage device that stores reference management amounts beforehand; adetecting device that detects a distance when the calculated managementamount is of poorer quality than the reference management amount storedin the reference data storage device, creates detection data containingthe management amount at the time of detection, and stores the createddetection data in a detection data storage device; and an alarmoutputting device that creates alarm data based on the detection datacreated by the detecting device, and displays the created alarm data ona screen; the method comprising: a step of receiving a manipulation by auser, and inputting selection command data that indicates that the alarmdata displayed on the screen is selected as alarm data that will not beoutput; a step of adding, to the detection data stored in the detectiondata storage device corresponding to the alarm data of the inputselection command data, output removal data indicating that it is not atarget for outputting by the alarm outputting device; and a step ofmaking the alarm outputting device display alarm data displayed on thescreen, corresponding to the detection data that the output removal datais added to, such that it can be distinguished from other alarm data.12. A computer program for a computer installed in an opticaltransmission line monitoring device comprising a device that isconnected to a measuring device that introduces an optical pulse along alongitudinal direction of an optical fiber constituting an opticaltransmission line, and measures the optical intensity of returning lightobtained by the incidence and a distance based on a time when thereturning light is received, the device calculating a management amountby performing an analysis of the optical intensity obtained from themeasuring device; a reference data storage device that stores referencemanagement amounts beforehand; a detecting device that detects adistance when the calculated management amount is of poorer quality thanthe reference management amount stored in the reference data storagedevice, creates detection data containing the management amount at thetime of detection, and stores the created detection data in a detectiondata storage device; and an alarm outputting device that creates alarmdata based on the detection data created by the detecting device, anddisplays the created alarm data on a screen; the computer program makingthe computer execute: a step of receiving a manipulation by a user, andinputting selection command data that indicates that the alarm datadisplayed on the screen is selected as alarm data that will not beoutput; a step of adding, to the detection data stored in the detectiondata storage device corresponding to the alarm data of the inputselection command data, output removal data indicating that it is not atarget for outputting by the alarm outputting device; and a step ofmaking the alarm outputting device display alarm data displayed on thescreen, corresponding to the detection data that the output removal datais added to, such that it can be distinguished from other alarm data.13. An optical transmission line monitoring device that is connected toa measuring device that introduces an optical pulse along a longitudinaldirection of an optical fiber constituting a PON system opticaltransmission line, and measures the optical intensity of returning lightobtained by the incidence and a distance based on a time when thereturning light is received, comprising: a waveform display device thatreceives data correlating the optical intensity of the returning lightand the distance from the measuring device, and displays a waveformbased on the received optical intensity and the distance; a peakdetecting device that detects a peak in the waveform displayed by thewaveform display device, creates detection data based on data relatingto the detected waveform peak, and stores the created detection data ina detection data storage device; an alarm outputting device that createsdisplay data based on the detection data stored in the detection datastorage device, and outputs the created display data as an alarm to ascreen; an inputting device that, when manipulated by a user, inputsselection command data that indicates that the display data displayed onthe screen is selected as display data that will not be output as analarm; and a removal data adding device that adds, to the detection dataidentified by the selection command data input by the inputting device,output removal data indicating that it is detection data that is not atarget for outfitting as an alarm; the alarm outputting device notdisplaying display data, corresponding to the detection data that theremoval data adding device adds the output removal data to, as an alarm.14. The optical transmission line monitoring device according to claim13, comprising coordinate data an inputting device that, manipulated bya user, inputs coordinate data specifying a region in a screen displayedby the waveform display device; the peak detecting device comprising aframe display device that displays on the screen a frame in a regionbased on the coordinate data input by the coordinate data inputtingdevice; and a detection processing device that, in the waveformcontained in the frame displayed by the frame display device, detects apeak of the waveform, creates detection data based on data relating tothe detected peak of the waveform, and stores the created detection datain a detection data storage device.
 15. The optical transmission linemonitoring device according to claim 13, wherein the detection datacreated by the peak detecting device includes a reflection attenuationamount at the peak; when the peak detecting device newly createsdetection data corresponding to the peak, if the peak detecting devicedetects, using as a reference a reflection attenuation amount of thedetection data of the peak that the output removal data stored in thedetection data storage device was added to, that the reflectionattenuation amount contained in the newly created detection data hasincreased, it deletes the output removal data of the detection datawhose reflection attenuation amount has increased; and the alarmoutputting device outputs display data, corresponding to the detectiondata from which the output removal data was deleted by the peakdetecting device, as an alarm.
 16. The optical transmission linemonitoring device according to claim 13, wherein the alarm outputtingdevice, based on detection data created by the peak detecting device,creates display data containing data indicating a number of peaks,outputs the created display data to a screen, and, when the peakdetecting device creates new detection data, and, if the number of peaksbased on the newly detected detection data decreases, using as areference the data indicating the number of the peaks contained in thedisplay data, the alarm outputting device creates new display datacontaining the number of peaks, and outputs the created display data tothe screen.
 17. The optical transmission line monitoring deviceaccording to claim 13, wherein when the peak detesting device newlycreates detection data, if the newly created detection data anddetection data stored in the detection data storage device do notcorrespond at a distance, the alarm outputting device outputs the newlycreated detection data that does not correspond to the detection datastored in the detection data storage device, together with dataindicating that it is detection data of the newly added device.
 18. Theoptical transmission line monitoring device according to claim 13,comprising: a first connecting device connected to a device datamanaging device that stores device data of the PON transmission line inan internal storage region; and a device data display device thatreceives the device data from the device data managing device via thefirst connecting device, and, based on the detection data stored in thedetection data storage unit and the received device data, extracts, fromthe device data, device data corresponding to the detection data, anddisplays it on a screen.
 19. An optical transmission line monitoringmethod in an optical transmission line monitoring device that isconnected to a measuring device that introduces an optical pulse along alongitudinal direction of an optical fiber constituting a PON systemoptical transmission line, and measures the optical intensity ofreturning light obtained by the incidence and a distance based on a timewhen the returning light is received, comprising: a step of receivingdata correlating the optical intensity of the returning light and thedistance from the measuring device; a step of displaying a waveformbased on the received optical intensity and the distance; a step ofdetecting a peak in the displayed waveform; a step of creating detectiondata based on data relating to the detected waveform peak; a step ofstoring the created detection data in a detection data storage device; astep of creating display data based on the detection data stored in thedetection data storage device; a step of outputting the created displaydata as an alarm to a screen; a step of receiving a manipulation by auser, and inputting selection command data that indicates that thedisplay data displayed on the screen is selected as display data thatwill not be output as an alarm; a step of adding, to the detection dataidentified by the input selection command data, output removal dataindicating that it is detection data that is not a target for outputtingas an alarm, and storing it in the detection data storage device; and astep of not displaying display data, corresponding to the detection datathat the output removal data is added to, as an alarm.
 20. A computerprogram for a computer of an optical transmission line monitoring devicethat is connected to a measuring device that introduces an optical pulsealong a longitudinal direction of an optical fiber constituting a PONsystem optical transmission line, and measures the optical intensity ofreturning light obtained by the incidence and a distance based on a timewhen the returning light is received, the computer program making thecomputer execute: a step of receiving data correlating the opticalintensity of the returning light and the distance from the measuringdevice; a step of displaying a waveform based on the received opticalintensity and the distance; a step of detecting a peak to the displayedwaveform; a step of creating detection data based on data relating tothe detected waveform peak; a step of storing the created detection datain a detection data storage device; a step of creating display databased on the detection data stored in the detection data storage device;a step of outputting the created display data as an alarm to a screen; astep of receiving a manipulation by a user, and inputting selectioncommand data that indicates that the display data displayed on thescreen is selected as display data that will not be output as an alarm;a step of adding, to the detection data identified by the inputselection command data, output removal data indicating that it isdetection data that is not a target for outputting as an alarm, andstoring it in the detection data storage device; and a step of notdisplaying display data, contending to the detection data that theoutput removal data is added to, as an alarm.